The described aspects relate generally to wireless communication devices and network communication. More particularly, the described aspects relate to providing on demand assistance to a wireless device user in the form of interactive demonstrations.
Wireless networking connects one or more wireless devices to other computer devices without a direct electrical connection, such as a copper wire or optical cable. Wireless devices communicate data, typically in the form of packets, across a wireless or partially wireless computer network and open a “data” or “communication” channel on the network such that the device can send and receive data packets. The wireless devices often have wireless device resources, such as programs and hardware components, which individually and cooperatively operate to use and generate data in accordance to their design and specific protocol or configuration, such as using open communication connections to transmit and receive data on the network.
The current trend in the wireless communication device industry is to market devices that have a wide range of functionality. For example, a single wireless communication device may be capable of wireless telephone communication, digital photography, wireless Internet communication, electronic mail (email) and/or Short Message Service (SMS) communication, wireless audio and/or video downloading, other wireless network service communications and the like. In addition, the wireless communication device may be capable of storing or wirelessly accessing numerous applications that can then be executed on the wireless communication device. Such multi-functionality means that the user of the wireless device needs to be adept at using all of the features and functionality of the wireless communication device.
In addition to user familiarity with the device functionality, a multi-functional device may typically result in more problems that the user may need to address during normal use of the device. As such problems arise, the need exists for the user to be able to address the problems as soon as possible, in order to effectively and efficiently restore functionality to the wireless device
Generally, the user of the wireless device becomes adept at using all of the features and functions or addresses a problem related to the wireless device by reading a comprehensive wireless device operating manual, communicating with a service center for instructions or attempting to comprehend the functionality/address the problem through a trial and error process. All of these current options are time-consuming with respect to the user of the device.
Reading and comprehending the wireless device operating manual can be so time-consuming that most users choose to avoid this option altogether. Additionally, the mobile nature of the wireless device means the operating manual may not typically be readily available to the device user during normal device operation. Also, reading the wireless device operating manual provides no assurance that the user may understand the functionality of the device or be able to solve the problem related to the device.
Communicating with a service center for instructions typically involves the user placing a wireless call to a technical support “hotline.” This process is generally frustrating to the user, who in most instances has to wait an undesirable period of time before connecting with a technical service representative and, in many instances, the instructions provided to the user over the telephone are difficult to comprehend or implement. If the user is unable to solve the problem via the hotline, the user may be left with no other option than to physically go to a service center and obtain a hands-on “live” demonstration.
In addition to the frustrating and time-consuming experience that device users incur, the network service or device providers that operate the technical support “hotline” are tasked with maintaining a resource-consuming operation. The resource-consuming problem on the service provider end is exasperated as more functions and applications are constantly being added to wireless communication devices. Maintaining an ever-expanding and resource-consuming operation is a costly endeavor for the network service or device providers.
Currently, wireless communication devices may be equipped with applications that provide help information based on a feature that the user is interested in knowing more about or a problem that the user is experiencing with the wireless device. However, storage limitations on the wireless device make it difficult for the wireless device to store and address every conceivable feature or problem that a user may encounter. Furthermore, as new functionality or applications are added to a wireless device during its useful life, a pre-existing help application is unable to provide assistance in using the new functions or applications or addressing problems encountered with the new functions or applications. Additionally, many of the problems that a user encounters may be unique to the user and, as such, may not be addressed in a generic help application. In instances in which the help application does not provide adequate help the user is typically forced to resort to contacting the technical support “hotline.”
Therefore, a need exists to create a user-assistance module or application executable on the wireless communication device that provides efficient. access to assistance demonstration. The desired user-assistance application may provide seamless user access to a large, updateable, database of user-assistance demonstrations. The desired user-assistance demonstrations may be inter-active to provide the user with an effective means of retaining the functionality assistance or problem resolution. In addition, the desired user-assistance application should be capable of providing the user timely access to demonstrations that can be customized based on the desired help or assistance that a user requires. Such a module may be able to provide the device user with an efficient process for obtaining device assistance and, in instances that dictate such, provide the user with an efficient process for obtaining customized device assistance. Additionally, the desired user-assistance application may provide network or device providers with a process that limits the use of “live” technical support, thus, making the process less of a financial burden on the network providers or device providers.